Yakima – The State of the State for Washington Latinoshttp://www.walatinos.org
A Community-Based Research Project from Whitman CollegeTue, 20 May 2014 18:35:09 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.1NEW REPORT: Impact of Secure Communities on Latinos and Local Law Enforcement in Eastern Washingtonhttp://www.walatinos.org/2012/02/impact-of-secure-communities-on-latinos-and-local-law-enforcement-in-eastern-washington/
Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:00:59 +0000http://walatinos.net/?p=1048

How has the immigration enforcement program Secure Communities impacted Latino communities in Central and Eastern Washington State? Secure Communities increases cooperation between local jails and the federal government to identify undocumented immigrants for deportation. Implemented in Yakima, Franklin, Benton and Walla Walla counties in the summer of 2011, Secure Communities has been both supported and opposed by different community groups. This research listens to voices of Latino immigrants and other Latinos as well as public safety officials to assess the impact of Secure Communities in Washington State.

Methods: We interviewed first, second, and third-generation Latino community members, local law enforcement, and local immigration attorneys in all four counties examined. From these interviews, we recorded stories and personal experiences of interactions between local law enforcement and Latino community members, dealings with immigration enforcement, perceptions of the Latino community and law enforcement, and the experience of working in the US as a migrant laborer. We also requested public records and analyzed county data to determine demographics and volume of undocumented residents placed on detainers since 2008.

Findings:

All participant groups had a limited understanding of Secure Communities.

Latino community members believe that, under Secure Communities and past immigration policies, local police actively collaborate with immigration agents to detain and deport undocumented residents.

Law enforcement agencies in Eastern Washington do not intend to enforce immigration law.

Latino residents feel that local officials and law enforcement do not “know” the Latino community and do not take into consideration their views and perceptions.

Latinos who have respectful interactions with law enforcement commonly approve of their work.

Latino community members infrequently call the police for minor, non-violent crimes but are willing to call the police if they are victim or witness to a crime that endangers one’s personal safety. Language and lack of procedural clarity decrease the likelihood that Latinos will call the police.

Secure Communities and past immigration enforcement policy in all four counties have exaggerated undocumented Latinas’ reluctance to contact the police when victim to domestic abuse.

ICE’s involvement in local law enforcement procedures increases the feeling of insecurity in the Latino immigrant community. This cooperation limits the public spaces in which undocumented residents feel comfortable or safe; limits Latinos’ willingness/ability to be politically engaged in local politics; and increases the potential for racial profiling by police.

Recommendations:

Latino leaders and local law enforcement should hold public forums to inform the Latino community about Secure Communities and local law enforcement’s non-involvement in active immigration enforcement.

OneAmerica and local law enforcement should hold joint Know-Your-Rights presentations in each county.

Local jails should review all ICE detainers and honor only detainers for aggravated felons.

Washington State lawmakers should denounce anti-immigrant legislation across the country.

Washington State lawmakers should continue allowing Washington residents to apply for driver’s licenses without Social Security numbers.

ICE and DHS should explicitly define the terms “criminal alien” and “serious criminal” as indicated in Secure Community policy, excluding misdemeanors and minor infractions from crimes meriting detention.

ICE and DHS should enforce prosecutorial discretion in state detention centers and provide training.

We investigated the political participation of Latinos in five Washington State locales: the Tri-Cities, Yakima, Walla Walla, Seattle, and Vancouver. Specifically, we identified and explored the main factors that either discourage or facilitate political participation among Washington’s Latinos, and what policies, laws, and grassroots actions can be effectuated to encourage higher levels of Latino political participation. We separated those factors into four categories:

The Legal Structures Related to Ballot Access

Access to Political Information

Interactions Within Latino Communities

Interactions Between Latino Communities and Government

Methods: We interviewed Latino citizens with a wide range of voting and political participation experiences as well as local, Latino political leaders. All citizen interviewees had voted in at least one election but some voted for the first time in the 2008 Presidential Election whereas others have been active in local politics for thirty years. We organized our secondary research into the four broad categories of factors that we identified.

Findings:

The Language provisions of the Voting Rights Act greatly increase political access

Latino voters in counties that are not required to provide the ballot in Spanish struggle to overcome this hurdle to political access

The youngest generation of Latinos in Washington State influence politics both by facilitating voting for their elders and campaigning for better political access

Grass-roots political outreach has proven effective in Latino communities

The newly instated vote by mail system has a tangible and often negative impact on Latino voters

Recommendations: The following is a sample of our 12 recommendations:

Change the triggering formula for Language assistance coverage: the triggering formula is what determines which counties must provide bilingual elections materials. This formula should be changed to include citizen minors, legal residents, and illegal residents integral to our society and economy

Scholarly research on two topics: 1) the Effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act, and 2) the impact of the vote by mail system on Latino voters

Promote local, grassroots Latino political organizations: Government outreach will be most effective if accompanied by locally run Latino organizations

Community Partners: Joaquin Avila and Naomi Strand from the Seattle University Law School and The National Voting Rights Advocacy Initiative.

This report examines the level of Latino local political representation in the ten counties of Washington State with the highest percentage Latino populations: Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Okanogan, Skagit, Walla Walla, and Yakima. In particular, it is meant to build on previous research that found that Latinos were underrepresented on school boards and city councils in Sunnyside, Wapato, Toppenish, Granger, Pasco, and Walla Walla. I investigated whether such underrepresentation of Latinos was widespread across the state and in all local offices, what factors might be contributing to that underrepresentation, and what processes exist by which local officials and concerned citizens can begin to empower Latino voters and candidates.

Methods: I first sought to find out what local voting jurisdictions exist in Washington State, the ethnicities of their office-holders, and the electoral systems under which they are governed. I obtained complete records from the ten counties examined and established the level of Latino representation in each county through.a surname-analysis of their office holders. I then examined the legal statutes governing the electoral methods of each jurisdiction. Lastly, I conducted a GIS analysis investigating the effect of sociodemographic factors on local political participation.

Findings:

Latinos are dramatically underrepresented in all ten counties examined. Out of 1891 local offices, only 78 are held by Latinos – a percentage of 4.1% despite percent Latino populations ranging from 14.8% (Skagit) to 55.1% (Adams).

No political offices are exceptions to this pattern of underrepresentation.

Nearly all local elections are conducted under at-large voting systems which tend to systematically reduce the influence of the Latino vote. In addition, state law restricts any changes to the method of election for most local offices.

Latinos in the ten counties examined disproportionately possess the sociodemographic factors which contribute to low levels of political participation.

Recommendations:

The Washington State Legislature should amend the Revised Code of Washington to allow all local voting jurisdictions to change their voting method to a pure district-based or alternative system, either by referendum of the voters, discretion of the county auditor, or another suitable option.

Latinos should form local-level political associations and seek support from their wider communities for measures that address the sociodemographic character of Latinos, such as providing bilingual voting materials or increasing youth involvement in the community.

The Washington State Secretary of State’s Office should begin maintaining a current and comprehensive list of local offices in Washington State, their incumbents, and the ways in which they conduct their elections.

]]>Political Mobilization through the Use of Bilingual Media Resources in Yakima, Washingtonhttp://www.walatinos.org/2008/05/political-mobilization-through-the-use-of-bilingual-media/
Thu, 01 May 2008 19:00:28 +0000http://walatinos.net/wp/?p=186

Melissa Navarro

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This report measures and evaluates the extent to which radio and print media in the Yakima area communicate news to the Spanish-speaking Latino community. It addresses the following questions: What types of stories are being reported? How do different outlets compare with one another? How are the newsworthy interests and needs of Yakima Latinos being addressed? Are Latinos finding out what they need to know as well as what they want to know?

Methods:

Primary Level – to assess the political atmosphere of Yakima, I met local political activists and found that the local Spanish-language media had a large role in getting Latinos informed city happenings. I conducted 15 personal interviews, nine of which were with local activists and other people that had an idea of Yakima’s political environment. The other six were media personnel (editors, station managers, writers, etc). To examine the use of Spanish-language newspapers in Yakima, I looked at the content of each publication and the frequency of certain story topics and features in the following three Spanish-language newspapers that are circulated throughout the city: El Sol de Yakima, ¡Viva! and Tú Decides.

Secondary Level – I investigated scholarly literature on bilingual communities, efforts in Spanish-language media to inform Latinos of local news, and theories of cultural assimilation and cultural differences.

Findings:
The content analysis revealed the following:

Local news is among the least reported issues in the newspapers.

Mexican news is among the highest reported.

There are fewer stories coming from local, staff reporters and more coming from newswire sources like the Associated Press.

Latinos in Yakima are not being as informed about news and important events on the local level as they should be. They thus are not very likely to get involved in a community that would benefit from their more active participation, unless there are changes in the bilingual media.

Recommendations:

More coverage on local issues – this can provide the reader with the knowledge they need, about matters that concern them, to try to make a difference.

More stories written by local reporters staffed by the newspaper itself – such reporters have the special ability to address issues that speak to their own community.

More balance between U.S. and Mexican news – attracting the interests of readers through stories of cultural appeal can and should be balanced with what is occurring in the Latino reader’s present home of the United States.

This report examines the political representation of Latinos on the city council of Sunnyside, Washington. What is the impact of at-large elections and racially polarized voting upon the political representation of Washington’s largest minority population?

Methods:

This report began by collecting census data about Washington State’s Latino populations. By compiling election returns and voter lists the report presents detailed information about current voting trends and their impact on city council elections in the state. The report specifically focuses on Sunnyside, Washington. Sunnyside was chosen because it accurately represents the apparent discrepancy between Latino populations around the state and their political representation. 75% of Sunnyside’s population is Latino while there is currently only one Latino on its city council. The statistical presentation of racially polarized voting is accompanied by testimonials of voters in Sunnyside and an interview of a Latina politician involved in several recent elections. The report employs the scholarly research of academics in order to establish the historical importance of voting rights litigation and the relationship between the Voting Rights Act and my findings.

Findings:

The most significant aspect of my report is in reference to the 1982 amendments of the Voting Rights Act. Sunnyside constitutes a situation in which all three requirements for a minority population to bring suit against the state are fulfilled. (1) Sunnyside has structural obstacles to the electoral success of minorities, such as at-large elections; (2) in Sunnyside behavioral patterns that interact with the social obstacles to exaggerate the political power of the majority- – i.e., racially polarized voting exists; and (3) a resulting under representation of the minority community relative to is proportion of the population is present in Sunnyside. These facts the provide grounds for a re-examination of the use of at large-general elections in Sunnyside and other cities around the state.

Recommendations:

My research demonstrates that that the at-large election format in Sunnyside is in violation of the Voting Rights Act. An alternative election format, such as district elections, should be implemented. In addition, there should be a renewed effort in Sunnyside and elsewhere to increase voter participation.

Community Partner:

The inspiration for my project was initiated by my community partner Joaquin Avila, assistant professor of Law at Seattle University School of Law. Professor Avila’s previous work and expertise was central to creating the direction that my project was to take and the conclusions that it has produced.

This paper focuses on voter registration and turnout among Latinos in Washington State as well as voter mobilization for Latinos. The question guiding the research is this: Among Latinos in Washington State, Yakima, and Walla Walla, who is voting, how, and why? The research has focused on gathering data on the population of the United States, Washington State, Walla Walla County, and Yakima County. The research has also examined literature regarding voting behavior, turnout, and mobilization for Latinos.

Methods: For the data, the U.S. Census, Walla Walla County Courthouse voting records, and Yakima County Courthouse voting records were relied on heavily. For literature research, Latino advocacy organizations, political abstracts, and newspaper articles were relied on.

Findings:

Latinos are the largest racial minority group living in the United States and also highly under-represented, politically. Only 18.36 % of all Hispanics living in the United States voted in 2004, whereas 42.82% of the total population living in the United States voted in 2004.

Nearly 10% of Washington State’s population is Latino. In the case studies, it was found that although Walla Walla County Latinos made up 12% of the total population, Latino only made up 4% of the voting population in 2004. Similarly, although Yakima County Latinos made up 29% of the total population, Latinos made up only 11% of the total voting population.

Low turnout rates among Latinos are a result of many factors, among which are citizenship, education, income, age, and language barriers.

There is strong evidence indicating that Latinos are highly receptive to mobilization efforts when they are specifically targeted. Further, asking someone to vote, even if they are among the least likely to do so, has significant positive effects on their likelihood of turning out on Election Day.

Recommendations: A better process for working immigrants to become citizens is key to the civic health of the Latino community in Washington and the United States. The Voting Rights Act continues to provide vital areas of protection for Latinos and avenues to address voting discrimination. If the VRA is not extended in 2007, it would be a great loss to Latinos, as well as a political loss for those that did not vote to renew it.

Community Partners: Kathy Fisher and Delia P. Chavez of the Yakima County Auditor’s office took a great deal of time in helping us with our project and providing us with the information we needed.

This project examines the experiences of female farm workers in Washington State’s apple industry. What are the conditions affecting Latino farm workers, particularly in Washington’s apple industry, and what can be done to alleviate such problems? Along these lines, how are these female workers’ perceptions of their experiences shaped by their objective conditions?

Methods: The way in which I went about collecting research was through literature, databases, personal observation, and interviews. Literary analysis was an important guide for my research. In order to find quantitative data, I explored both private and governmental databases. Lastly, I gathered information on local conditions by visiting the Walla Walla Farm Labor Homes and by interviewing two apple workers from Walla Walla and Yakima, Washington.

Findings: In my research, I found that these Latina farm workers face three categories of problems which are common for other farm workers.

Wages and Working Conditions: Farm workers suffer from low wages causing a high percentage of poverty for them, which is perpetuated by their lack of legal status.

Family Living Conditions: The household composition affects family structure because of the responsibility given to the woman. In addition, the migratory nature of the work leads to a higher frequency of family separation, which is perpetuated by the inadequate housing that these workers inhabit.

Legal and Political Status: I found that the apple industry is dependent on immigrant labor made available through the absence of worker protection, which is in turn caused by labor regulations and workers’ lack of education and language barrier. Nonetheless, I found that these women construct their identity based on their pride as a farm worker, their place as women in the family, and their struggle against second-class citizenship.

Recommendations: In order to improve living situations, it is imperative to provide legal circumstances to self-empower individuals so that they may advocate change in their social conditions.

Direct Government Action: One attainable goal is to pressure state legislatures to pass bills that benefit farm workers, specifically Senate Bill 5240 and Senate Bill 5823. Both of these bills alleviate low wage problems.

Unions and Self-Empowerment: Unions have been effective tools for enacting change in farm workers’ conditions throughout the years. Therefore, the involvement of workers in such efforts would benefit their living standards.

Community Partners: I would like to acknowledge the help of my Community Partners, Jan Foster of Walla Walla Community College and Ben Hooper of Columbia Legal Services in Kennewick. They helped me guide my research by providing basic information about farm work and the conditions affecting workers. They also helped me in the editing process.

This research focuses on Latino representation in city council positions in Yakima County. Focusing on the particular characteristics of the county, I ask: Why are there low numbers of Latino registered voters? Why is there low Latino turnout? Are enough Latino candidates running for office? How do local Latino community members explain the current conditions of the Latino electorate?

Methods: The data in this report was gathered through thorough research on the U.S. Census data website. In addition, the Yakima County Auditor’s office was visited in order to collect a copy of the voter registration rolls and voter turnout results for numerous elections. However, since this research was primarily looking at Latino representation, only the 1999 Yakima City Council election was selected because it was the last time a Latino ran for a city council position in Yakima City. In 7 of the 14 cities in the Yakima County, there are a substantial number of Latinos in the city council, however, Yakima City has more Latinos than those cities combined and yet does not have a Latino serving in the city council. For this reason, Yakima City is primarily discussed in this research. Moreover, several interviews were conducted in local Walla Walla Latino communities. These interviews were designed to gather further insight on the general understanding local Latino community members have on the election system, opinions on why Latinos tend not to vote and their views on why low Latino representation continues to be a problem.

Findings:

Yakima County entered into a consent decree in which it agreed to follow the guidelines established jointly by the Department of Justice in an effort to fully comply with section 203 of the Voting Rights Act (primarily providing materials and services in Spanish that will facilitate full participation in elections of Spanish speakers).

The Bilingual Program resulting from the consent decree has improved and increased Latino registration and voter turnout.

Yakima City lacks Latino candidates in local city council elections.

Latinos in Yakima city are approximately a third of the population, yet comprise approximately a tenth of the total registered voters.

Recommendations: First, voter mobilization efforts targeting Latinos need to improve in order to better mobilize Latinos least likely to vote. Second, Latino communities must effectively promote and encourage Latinos to run for office in order to attain the representation they desire.

Community Partner: This research was carried out through the assistance and guidance of my community partner Joaquin Avila, Assistant Professor at Seattle University School of Law.